Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-03-23
A COSTLY TOMB FOR A PARROT.

He Saved His Mistress from Robbers and
Now Lies in State.
All the parrots that history has
handed down to us thus far have
achieved fame by their feats
of stump-speaking. In no case have
any OF chem made any stir after death.
A young man from the World found
g. parrot yesterday whose brave deeds
for q number OF years and the amount
of splendor he fell into after his wings
had ceased to flap and he had squawk-
ed his last squawk, entitle him to g.
place in history. The bird came into
this world at the top OF a high baobab
tree in the Island of Madagascar and
was one of the good old Psittacid@
family. While still very young and not
possessed Of much more sense than the
gilded youths who lead dogs up and
down Fifth avenue, he happened to
take his daily hop abroad too near
the coast. He fell into the hands of
pirates who lugged him off in bag, In
spite of his lusty screaming, and took
him aboard their ship, wherehe got no
consolation beyond dry bread and
round Spanish oaths.
After being carried through series
of adventures, about which he could
never after be induced to speak, he
finally brought up in Calcutta. There he
was brought up by a wealthy Ameri-
can woman who was travelling for
pleasure. From then until death claim
ed him ne was happy. He Travelled
with her all through India, living in
bungalows eating curry, watching der
wishes at their whirls, and anon dis
covering spoor and doing all those
wonderful things with outlandish
names that the writer's Of heavy En-
glish books of adventure never tire of
relating. He was named Bill, not on
account of any special fitness of the
name, but because it happened to be
lying around loose. One night thieves
broke into the wealthy American wo-
mans bungalow and probably would
have walked Off with all her portable
riches after stabbing her to death but
for the watchfulness of Bill. Like the
geese who saved Rome, Bill heard the
marauders, and unlike them he swore
roundly in Spanish and rent the air
OF Hindoostan with loud cries of
"Chagrang. chagrang" which is pure
Hindoostanee and means, "Help, help!
We are beset by dogs OF robbers"
The thieves ran away, to the great glo-
ry Of Bill and satisfaction of his mis-
tress, and ever afterward Bill occupied g.
warm, roomy corner IN her heart. At
ter seeing the world thoroughly he
came home with her and settled down
in a mere mansion on Murray Hill.
When he arrived the World was the
only paper that printed his remarka-
BILE history. Here he lived alife OF ease
and luxury and added to his repertory
little slang which he picked up now
and then from the groOms.
Six weeks ago Bill died. His mis-
tress sent him to Wilkins, the bird
stuffer, in Broadway. He loaded Bill
up with arsenic and other things which
defy decay, put in g. nice new yellow
glass eye, with bold, black pupil and
then the bird was ready for the tomb.
They had orders to spare no expense,
so they turned their best artists loose
on the big block of rosewood. There
suit was on exhibition yesterday. On
his left eide his head resting on q pink
satin cushion, lay Bill a. full length.
His new glass eye looked peaceful, and
all his green and yellow feathers shone
bright with post-mortem splendor. ALI
around him, the walls of the polished
solid rosewood casket were quilted
with hand sewed pink satin cushions.
A thick piece of clear plate-glass, with
beveled edges, gave people a good
chance to gaze on Bill's calm features.
The carving of the outside OF the cas-
ket was rich and fine. 1t would have
taken one skilled artist q full month
to do it. A tracery ofvines and sprays
of flowers with every detail faithfully
worked out, covered the lid of the cas-
ket. The same decoration was on
each side. The casket is six inches
high and eighteen inches long, and cost
$4,000. From to-day until he wears
out Bill will repose in it on g. suitable
pedestal, which his mistress has caus-
ed to be placed in her parlor.